Spiral Q is honored to be a recipient of a three-year arts education grant from the William Penn Foundation in support of SPARQING strong and equitable NEIGHBORHOODS. The grant supports expanding Spiral Q’s SPARQing Art and Action to six schools in our home neighborhood, including Locke Elementary, Rhoads Elementary, Belmont Charter School, Powel School, Middle Years Alternative and Blankenburg Elementary.
The Board of Directors and Staff of Spiral Q are thrilled by the support of William Penn Foundation. “With the William Penn Foundation’s support Spiral Q is excited to expand our award winning education programs to at least six Philadelphia schools. In advancing creativity, leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement among a critical mass of young people right here in our home neighborhood, Spiral Q and our partners are cultivating a generation of creative and visionary changemakers committed to the advancement of their communities.” says Spiral Q executive director, Tracy Broyles.
“What Spiral Q does so well is that they make use of art in a way that really speaks. To embark on a project that involved kids in some real collaboration, some real creativity, but also some real advocacy was a really meaningful and timely project for us.” says Powel School first grade teacher Gilliam Maimon of her experience having Spiral Q artists work in her classroom.
With this support, Spiral Q will be in residence in six schools throughout the West Powelton, Powelton, Millcreek, Belmont, and Mantua neighborhoods. SPARQ in our schools will serve 1500 students from kindergarten through 8th grade each year. Students will learn parade and populist art forms, engage in visioning stronger schools and communities, and perform their work in a spring season of school parades peppered throughout our neighborhood. Spiral Q’s project based approach to education and youth development cultivates resourcefulness, critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation among students; invigorating classrooms with a spirit of inquiry, experimentation, inclusiveness and curiosity.
We are so appreciative of the William Penn Foundation’s support in advancing this work. You can help support this program too by donating to Spiral Q’s SPARQ PLACE Fund and support our work with youth, families, and community partners in West Powelton, Powelton, Mantua, Millcreek and Belmont.
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The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that increase educational opportunities for children from low-income families, ensure a sustainable environment, foster creativity that enhances civic life, and advance philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. In partnership with others, the Foundation works to advance opportunity, ensure sustainability, and enable effective solutions. Since inception, the Foundation has made nearly 10,000 grants totaling over $1.6 billion. The Foundation’s assets totaled over $2.2 billion as of December 31, 2013.